Axel of Darkness
by Tylendale
Summary: Harry Potter is darker than most wizards think, Featuring a snarky Snape who secretly watches Harry's every move. Warning: Eventual Harry/Draco
1. For the Greater good!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, please don't take my money!**

**Harry and Dumbledore have just got back to Hogwarts after finding the fake locket in Tom Riddles cave all is not as it should be.**

**Please _Please_ Please _Please_**** review - it's my best fic ever! - You have to review. **

* * *

Malfoy gave a harsh laugh.

'You care about me saying "Mudblood" when I'm about to kill you?'

'Yes, I do,' said Dumbledore, and Harry saw his feet slide a little on the floor as he struggled to remain upright. 'But as for being about to kill me, Draco, you have had several long minutes now. We are quite alone. I am more defenseless than you can have dreamed of finding me, and still you have not acted ...'

Malfoy's mouth contorted involuntarily, as though he had tasted something very bitter.

'Now, about tonight,' Dumbledore went on, 'I am a little puzzled about how it happened ... you knew that I had left the school? But of course,' he

answered his own question, 'Rosmerta saw me leaving, she tipped you off using your ingenious coins, I'm sure ...'

'That's right,' said Malfoy. 'But she said you were just going for a drink, you'd be back ...'

'Well, I certainly did have a drink ... and I came back ... after a fashion,' mumbled Dumbledore. 'So you decided to spring a trap for me?'

'We decided to put the Dark Mark over the Tower and get you to hurry up here, to see who'd been killed,' said Malfoy. 'And it worked!'

'Well ... yes and no ...' said Dumbledore. 'But am I to take it, then, that nobody has been murdered?'

'Someone's dead,' said Malfoy and his voice seemed to go up an octave as he said it. 'One of your people ... I don't know who, it was dark ... I stepped over the body ... I was supposed to be waiting up here when you got back, only your Phoenix lot got in the way ...'

'Yes, they do that,' said Dumbledore.

There was a bang and shouts from below, louder than ever; it sounded as though people were fighting on the actual spiral staircase that led to where Dumbledore, Malfoy and Harry stood, and Harry's heart thundered unheard in his invisible chest ... someone was dead ... Malfoy had stepped over the body ... but who was it?

'There is little time, one way or another,' said Dumbledore. 'So let us discuss your options, Draco.'

'My options!' said Malfoy loudly. 'I'm standing here with a wand - I'm about to kill you -'

'My dear boy, let us have no more pretense about that. If you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you first Disarmed me, you would not have stopped for this pleasant chat about ways and means.'

'I haven't got any options!' said Malfoy, and he was suddenly as white as Dumbledore. 'I've got to do it! He'll kill me! He'll kill my whole family!'

'I appreciate the difficulty of your position,' said Dumbledore. 'Why else do you think I have not confronted you before now? Because I knew that

you would have been murdered if Lord Voldemort realized that I suspected you.'

Malfoy winced at the sound of the name.

'I did not dare speak to you of the mission with which I knew you had been entrusted, in case he used Legilimency against you,' continued Dumbledore. 'But now at last we can speak plainly to each other ... no harm has been done, you have hurt nobody, though you are very lucky that your unintentional victims survived ... I can help you, Draco.'

'No, you can't,' said Malfoy, his wand hand shaking very badly indeed. 'Nobody can. He told me to do it or he'll kill me. I've got no choice.'

'Come over to the Dark side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise. Your father is safe at the moment in Azkaban ... when the time comes we can protect him too ... come over to the Dark side, Draco ... you are not a killer ...'

Malfoy stared at Dumbledore.

'But I got this far, didn't I?' he said slowly. They thought I'd die in the attempt, but I'm here ... and you're in my power ... I'm the one with the wand

... you're at my mercy ...' – _What does he mean the Dark side?_

'No, Draco,' said Dumbledore quietly. 'It is my mercy, and not yours, that matters now.'

Malfoy did not speak. His mouth was open, his wand hand still trembling. Harry thought he saw it drop by a fraction – inching forwards Harry shot a meaningful look at his mentor.

Dumbledore gave a slight shake of his head, he didn't want Harry attacking Malfoy.

But suddenly footsteps were thundering up the stairs and a second later, Malfoy was buffeted out of the way as four people in black robes burst

through the door on to the ram-parts.

Harry looked to Dumbledore who again shook his head. He then slowly pulled off his invisibility cloak and positioned himself for attack.

It seemed the Death Eaters had won the fight below.

A lumpy-looking man with an odd lopsided leer gave a wheezy giggle.

'Dumbledore cornered!' he said, and he turned to a stocky little woman who looked as though she could be his sister and who was grinning eagerly.

'Dumbledore wandless, Dumbledore alone! Well done, Draco, well done!'

'Good evening, Amycus,' said Dumbledore calmly, as though welcoming the man to a tea party. 'And you've brought Alecto too ... charming ...'

The woman gave an angry little titter. 'Think your little jokes will help you on your death bed, then?' she jeered.

'Jokes? No, no, these are manners,' replied Dumbledore.

'Do it,' said the stranger standing nearest to Harry, a big, rangy man with matted grey hair and whiskers, whose black Death Eater's robes looked

uncomfortably tight. He had a voice like none that Harry had ever heard: a rasping bark of a voice. Harry could smell a powerful mixture of dirt, sweat and, unmistakeably, of blood coming from him. His filthy hands had long yellowish nails. _Must be Fenrir Greyback._

A moment later Dumbledore confirmed Harry's suspicions.

'Is that you, Fenrir?' asked Dumbledore.

That's right,' rasped the other. 'Pleased to see me, Dumbledore?'

'No, I cannot say that I am ...' – _No! Harry, do not attack yet!_

Harry backed off and waiting at the ready watching his mentor for the signal to attack.

Fenrir Greyback grinned, showing pointed teeth. Blood trickled down his chin and he licked his lips slowly, obscenely.

'But you know how much I like kids, Dumbledore.'

'Am I to take it that you are attacking even without the full moon now? This is most unusual ... you have developed a taste for human flesh that

cannot be satisfied once a month?'

'That's right,' said Greyback. 'Shocks you, that, does it, Dumbledore? Frightens you?'

'Well, I cannot pretend it does not disgust me a little,' said Dumbledore.

'And, yes, I am a little shocked that Draco here invited you, of all people, into the school where his friends live...'

'I didn't,' breathed Malfoy. He was not looking at Greyback; he did not seem to want to even glance at him. 'I didn't know he was going to come -'

'I wouldn't want to miss a trip to Hogwarts, Dumbledore,' rasped Greyback. 'Not when there are throats to be ripped out ... delicious, delicious...' And he raised a yellow fingernail and picked at his front teeth, leering at Dumbledore.

'I could do you for afters, Dumbledore ...'

'No,' said the fourth Death Eater sharply. He had a heavy, brutal-looking face. 'We've got orders. Draco's got to do it. Now, Draco, and quickly.'

Malfoy was showing less resolution than ever. He looked terrified as he stared into Dumbledore's face, which was even paler, and rather lower than usual, as he had slid so far down the rampart wall.

Harry gritted his teeth, the potion his mentor had drunk was working faster than they'd previously thought it would.

'He's not long for this world anyway, if you ask me!' said the lopsided man, to the accompaniment of his sister's wheezing giggles. 'Look at him - what's happened to you, then, Dumby?'

'Oh, weaker resistance, slower reflexes, Amycus,' said Dumbledore. 'Old age, in short ... one day, perhaps, it will happen to you ... if you are lucky ...' Dumbledore winked and smiled at Harry.

'What's that mean, then, what's that mean?' yelled the Death Eater, he whipped around to look at what the old man was looking at, there was no one there just empty air.

'Always the same, weren't yeh, Dumby, talking and doing nothing, nothing, I don't even know why the Dark Lord's bothering to kill yeh! Come on, Draco, do it!'

But at that moment, there were renewed sounds of scuffling from below and a voice shouted, 'They've blocked the stairs - Reducto! REDUCTO!'

Harry's heart leapt: so these four had not eliminated all opposition, but merely broken through the fight to the top of the Tower, and, by the sound of it, created a barrier behind them -

'Now, Draco, quickly!' said the brutal-faced man angrily.

But Malfoy's hand was shaking so badly that he could barely aim.

'I'll do it,' snarled Greyback, moving towards Dumbledore with his hands outstretched, his teeth bared.

'I said no!' shouted the brutal-faced man; there was a flash of light and the werewolf was blasted out of the way; he hit the ramparts and staggered, looking furious.

Harry's heart was hammering so hard it seemed impossible that nobody could hear him standing there, imprisoned by Dumbledore's orders –he so wanted to aim a curse from under the Cloak –

'Draco, do it, or stand aside so one of us -' screeched the woman, but at that precise moment the door to the ramparts burst open once more and there stood Snape, his wand clutched in his hand as his black eyes swept the scene, from Dumbledore slumped against the wall, to the four Death Eaters, including the enraged werewolf, and Malfoy.

'We've got a problem, Snape,' said the lumpy Amycus, whose eyes and wand were fixed alike upon Dumbledore, 'the boy doesn't seem able -'

But somebody else had spoken Snape's name, quite softly.

'Severus ...'

The sound frightened Harry beyond anything he had experienced all evening. For the first time, Dumbledore was pleading and he sounded weaker.

Snape said nothing, but walked forwards and pushed Malfoy gently out of the way. The three Death Eaters fell back without a word. Even the werewolf seemed cowed.

Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.

'Severus ... please ..."

Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore.

'Avada Kedavra!, Avada Kedavra!, Avada Kedavra! '

The Killing curse shot from the end of Harry's 's wand and hit

Amycus and Alecto Carrow.

The third Avada Kedavra was cast by Dumbledore and he'd done it wandless.

Snape was baffled even so he wasn't confused enough to forget the last Death Eater.

'sectumsempra!'

What little color left in Malfoy's cheeks drained away, _Dumbledore could have killed me all along!_

After dispatching the last Death Eater Snape turned and faced their mysterious helper.

Harry nodded at Snape, it was a wild guess but he'd been right to trust Snape to take care of the last opponent.

Dumbledore's face light-up when his eyes found Harry's. 'Ah, Harry that was spectacular, you will do good. Now come let us finish this.'

Walking forwards Harry Stupefyed Malfoy and Snape, 'Master, is there anything else you'd like done.'

'Yes,' Dumbledore nodded his head, 'I want you to make sure Longbottom is taught well, he needs to know everything. Goodbye Harry, you will do well.'

Harry Raised his wand-

'Avada Kedavra!'

Dumbledore was blasted into the air: for a split second he seemed to hang suspended beneath the shining skull, and then he fell slowly backwards, like a great rag doll, over the battlements and out of sight.

With a wave of his hand Harry sent the bodies of the dead Death Eaters over Hogwarts battlements.


	2. Always watching you

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter... **

**MissxM.A.R - Thanks for reviewing, this one's for you. Have fun and tell me what you think.**

* * *

It hurt Harry to have to kill his mentor. Dumbledore meant the world to him, to Harry he was everything

'The beginning and the end.' _Mmm, Talking to myself… not a good sign_

The barrier the Death Eaters created melted before Harry.

* * *

Before Dumbledore's body even hit the ground McGonagall knew, she knew the wizarding world had lost it's Light Lord. Her only hope was that Potter was still alive.

Potter and Albus seamed to have gotten very close to each other over the past year or so, ever since the fight in the ministry with you-know-who.

* * *

'Harry, where did you come from?' Ginny cried.

Harry hugged her to calm her down, she'd be useless to him all worked up. Holding her head still Harry forced her to look into his eyes. 'Ginny, have you seen Neville.'

She hesitated for only a second and that's all it took for Harry to force his way into her mind, skim her thoughts and find out if she knew where Neville is.

The blood drained out of his face, _Neville hurt, must get to him. _

Reaching for Hogwarts wards Harry pulled and twisted.

Ginny stepped back in a daze and fell over, she'd never seen anything like it, Harry seamed to flicker and then he disappeared right before here eyes, it was almost like apparition, only it wasn't.

Seamus didn't know what to do Death Eaters were running around the school, students were fighting and the bloody boy who lived wasn't anywhere around.

'Ah, you idiot don't think of blood.' Seamus mentally slapped himself for mentioning it.

'...blood, it's all – all over me,' Neville rasped, his eyes rolled and he slumped against the wall.

Seamus grit his teeth and kept on pressing on the wounds, his right hand over Neville's stomach keeping everything inside and his left hand on a blood soaked cloth which he'd stuffed in the gaping hole in Neville's chest 'You'll be fine, it's only a few scratches.'

The most Seamus could do is hope someone comes along, they were in a deserted corridor. Seamus knew that if he moved his hands, even for a moment, to cast a spell and send a message for help – Neville would be beyond help.

Harry rematerialized right next to Neville, moving without the need for thought Harry started working on the wound in Neville's chest. He placed his hands over Seamus's hand and whispered the spells that would cause the wound to start clotting.

While the chest wound started to clot Harry moved and placed his hands over Neville's stomach.

Seamus could feel the flesh beneath his hands start to heal over, _blimey he's doing it wandless._

Moving back to the chest wound Harry pulled out the cloth that had been stuffed into the wound and started to work on closing the wound.

A gurgling sound came from Neville and his eyes snapped opened, 'Harry... I'm hurt, help me-'

Harry could hear people running to wards them, before he cast the next spell Harry grabbed Seamus.

'Seamus,' Harry shook him, 'I want you to listen.'

Seamus nodded that was all Harry needed, 'Snape and Malfoy have been stupifyed and they're on the Astronomy tower, make sure nothing happens to them they're innocent.'

Pulling a knife out of his robes Harry pulled up his sleeve and pressed the blade to the underside of his arm.

'Harry. what are you doing!' Ron dropped to his friends side and shook him.

It was easy to shove Ron off and Harry wasted no time in doing so, then he made a cut on Neville's arm.

'sanguis'

In a rush blood was pulled from Harry's body through the cut on his arm and into Neville though his cut.

Harry slumped against the wall, 'Seamus, go to them, tell Snape it was: "For the greater good."

* * *

Eventually a stupid _Griffindor came and found them and after a few tries he was able to end Potter's stupefy._

_At first he was confused to hear those words uttered by the boy. Dumbledore always said that when he made sacrifices or when he had to do something terribly evil._

_He didn't have time to think about Dumbledore, the moment he _Ennervate Draco_ others came and rushed him off to make a blood replenishing potion for Potter, he wasn't told why the idiot boy needed it!_

Hours later, Snape stood in the Dark of the infirmary watching Potter sleep, nobody bothered to guard the boy-who-lived they were all crying over the headmaster. _Idiots all of them, if something happens to Potter, they're all finished and Dumbledore would have died for nothing._

Snape was furious, he felt left out, betrayed, discarded like a useless chess piece. Perhaps that's all he was to Dumbledore, a piece on the giant game of chess he played.

Even as he thought this he shook his head, no, Dumbledore cared about him. Dumbledore had shown him nothing but love.

_Love… _Snape looked up at Potter, Love is the only thing that gave him purpose. The only thing that made him guard his lovers son.

At first light a very tired potions master snuck out and made his way to bed.

* * *

McGonagall took temporary control of Hogwarts and with the help of Professor Flitwick she strengthened the wards.

There were some wards they couldn't work with as they appeared to be Dark wards, how they got there Minerva could only guess at.

The whole wizarding world was in a state of panic, if Deatheaters could kill Albus Dumbledore at Hogwarts then nobody was safe. The only thing holding them together was the knowledge that the-boy-who-lived is still alive.

McGonagall shook her head, she knew Harry is powerful she saw it herself, everyone had seen Dumbledore's pensive memory of the duel between you-know-who and Harry, that had taken place in the ministry last year.

The Minister of magic and his Aurors had also witnessed the duel, seasoned Aurors that had fought dark wizards in the last war were amazed at the intensity of the duel.

Albus's pensive memory of that event had been placed on a pedestal besides the fountain of Magical Brethren. Many had gone to see it and many still traveled from far to view the great duel of our time.

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**Please review It only takes a second to review **


	3. Goodbye lemondrops  hello Veritaserum

Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue. I no own. So you no sue.

**Anything in _Italics are thoughts – they are not said out loud_**

I have always believed McGonagall is and will always be Dumbledore's most fanatical supporter!

The song is called "Mordreds Lullaby" - check it out on youtube - it's well worth the view (Puts the whole thing into perspective - very sinister)

* * *

McGonagall sat down on one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk, there were three pensives on the desk. Leaning against the pensive in the middle was a letter addressed to her.

Reaching out with hands that did not shake only because she willed them not too, Minerva took the letter and opened it. There was a list of instruction for her.

Minerva

I hope this reaches you in good health, you are reading this letter because I'm dead and as you would know it is in my nature to leave things out.

These three pensives contain all the secrets I deemed too dangerous to indicate they existed. I trust you will keep out of them.

Severus Snape has to become headmaster of Hogwarts as sixty percent of Hogwarts defensive wards are Dark magic wards. I trust Severus whole heartedly and believe that without him our side would have been a lot worse off.

Severus has done many things to ensure that Harry has an easier life, you may not believe this but I ask you to watch him with Harry and you'll understand.

The pensives are for Severus.

Your friend

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

McGonagall stood, and with a look of purpose and determination she strode from the Headmasters office.

* * *

Narcissa Malfoy stood by a large bay window looking out at the manor gardens, she remembered a time not long gone when her son was much younger.

It was by this very window that she sat and sung to her son the lullaby all mothers of the house of Black sing to their first born.

_Hush child, _

_The darkness will rise from the deep and carry you down into sleep, Child._

_darkness will rise from the deep and carry you down into sleep._

_Guiles son I'll shape your belief and you'll always know that your father's a thief_

_And you won't understand the cause of your grief but you'll always follow the voices beneath _

_Loylalty, loyalty, loyalty loyalty, only to me_

A look of determination crossed Narcesa's fine features, with a short nod of her head Narcisa put her plan into action.

'Dobby.'

* * *

Pain exploded in Harry's chest and he sat bolt upright clutching his chest, it hurt so much, it felt like his insides were been mauled by some creature.

A cup was thrust into his hands, he was too shaken up by the memory that invoked the pain to know what he should do with it.

Snape narrowed his eyes and gave a half hearted sneer, Potter was obviously in pain, even if he hadn't made a sound yet. 'Drink it.'

Harry moved his hand away from his chest, he did not want Snape knowing about his weakness. Taking a sniff of the contents of the cup Harry took a sip only after he knew it contained nothing other than a double dose of a powerful pain reliever and pumpkin juice.

Snape waited then when Potter was finished he struck, 'Potter, why where you in pain.'

Harry wasn't expecting it and so wasn't prepared with an answer, 'I, ah… just heart burn.'

'Potter do not lie to me, wizards do not get heartburn. I know what pain looks like and that's most definitely what woke you.' For once there was no sneer on Snape's face.

Harry felt no anger or aggression towards Snape, the only thing he felt was a deep and overwhelming despair, looking away from Snape, Harry kept his eyes on a spot on the floor as he spoke. 'I can't talk to you about it but your right, that is what woke me.'

Snape took a deep breath to calm himself, - _insufferable brat… Lilly's insufferable brat._

'Potter, tell me… is this pain still affecting you now.'

Harry flicked his eyes back up to Snape, 'Yes.'

'Potter, I don not know the full arrangement you had with Dumbledore but I assure you we are on the same side.' Snape held his breath and waited to hear what Potter would say.

Harry through back the covers, 'Dumbledore told me I could trust you and I do, sort off.' Harry pulled himself out of bed. He only had pajamas on and his wand was on the bedside table. Tapping the side of his head Harry sorted out his vision.

'I want many things, I would also like _Rufus Scrimgeour _to be the next Minister of magic, he'd be way better than that idiot Cornelious-fucken-Fudge but right now what I need is for you to get me a room in the Slytherin dungeon.'

'That can be arranged. ' Snape paused and narrowed his eyes. 'Why, Mr Potter, would you want to stay in the dungeons' when you could rather be in the company of your warm inviting _Gryffindor _friends.' Snape said this even as he moved closer to Potter to help him in case he fell, which he looked like he was about to do.

'I'm not at liberty to say, what I can say is that after sometime spent near a large concentration of Dark wizards I will feel better.'

* * *

Snape went in first and got Draco out of bed.

'I need your room for a while, it's important.'

Draco was about to open his mouth and complain but after seeing the _don't-fuck-with-me-look_ in his godfathers eyes, he just nodded his head and left the room.

Snape secured any possible threat to Potter in the room and then left to sneak Potter in.

The moment Harry entered the room his heart clenched, the smell of vanilla and chocolate assaulted his senses. 'Is this Malfoy's room.'

Rather than lie Snape chose to admit that it was, ' Yes it is.' It's almost as if Potter knew the answer before he'd said it anyway.

Harry moved straight for the bed, puling back the covers he got into bed, it was still warm. A sigh of relief escaped him, knowing that just moments before Malfoy was in this bed gave him a feeling like he was flying.

* * *

McGonagall found Snape just as he was rising out of the dungeons…

'Severus, Dumbledore as I'm sure your aware, has left instructions,'

Snape couldn't help the sneer that ran across his face, 'Yes, I was just going to check.'

McGonagall, turned to leave then remembered something else, 'Oh and Severus, your Hogwarts new Headmaster but that doesn't mean I answer to you, I answer to only one and he's dead.'

* * *

Please review - I've got the other chapters but I'm just waiting till I get a few more reviews on this one! (that is a threat!)


	4. Snape learns Harry & Neville's secret

**Thanks for the reviews here is the fourth chapter as promised... It's fulled with plot twists so enjoy.**

**Oh, and I do not own Harry Potter!  
**

* * *

Snape approached Albus's pensives with caution, he hadn't expected this method of passing along information.

Before he approached the pensive on the left, Snape locked and warded the door and secured the rest of the room.

Dropping his face below the surface of the memory he found himself back in the room he just left.

Dumbledore stood behind his desk with his back to Snape, playing with one of the silver instruments in the corner.

'Severus, this is my memory of me talking to myself in my office so I could leave the memory for you.' With that Dumbledore turned and faced Snape.

Snape could not believe the headmaster had actually done this, he'd never heard of someone doing this before.

'I have a few things to tell you about Harry. You see Severus, there is much more to Harry than anyone including you could ever know but first I want to tell you something. Severus I am a Dark Wizard, my victory against Grindelwald was staged in order to place me in a position to influence Light wizards, Grindelwald and myself also worked out that there has to be balance, Light and Dark.' Dumbledore walked over to his desk pushed his chair back and stood facing Snape.

'There hasn't been a really strong Light lord in over a hundred years, for some unknown reason only powerful Dark Lords have surfaced... Weak Light lords and powerful Dark Lords are akin to Daisies and venous-fly-traps'

'Now back to Harry. I was convinced that Harry would be the next Light lord, so I chose to let him grow up with his relatives, this was done so that I would have no influence on over him and he would grow up without certain ideologies I may unknowingly pass on to him.' Dumbledore sat down in his chair and sat there starring at Snape through his fingers.

'Leaving him with his relatives was the worst thing I could have done, Harry is an exceptionally powerful Dark wizard. I should have personally looked after him, if I had I could have shown him a great many things, things that would have made him powerful beyond imagining.'

'Severus, I have looked after Harry as best I could since learning of his Dark capabilities. After Harry's duel with Voldemort in the grave yard, he came back a changed person, he'd never seen death before and Harry and the Diggory boy were rather close.'

'Also one last thing, Harry has an inherited gene, it's from his mother's side I believe, he's an incubus.' Dropping his hands Dumbledore toyed with a silver whirling instrument on his desk.

* * *

Snape pulled himself out of the pensive memory and dropped into the waiting chair.

How did he miss it, Potter a Dark wizard, no wonder he wanted to be closer to the Slytherins after all Dark wizards need other Dark wizards to function properly, not having that connection is like a person going through life never feeling warmth.

As for Potter being an Incubus… I wonder who he's mated with, all Incubus's have a soul mate that their destined to be with, wonder who Potter's mate is. _It couldn't have been Cedric Diggory, - Soul mates can't live without each other._

_

* * *

_

_'What are you doing?' he asked in a sleepy rasp as Cedric kissed down his ribs._

_'Tasting you,' replied the other boy softly._

_'Am I tasty?' joked Harry._

_'Hell yeah,'_

_As the older boy kissed a path lower Harry whinged, 'Cedric, I'm tired. We dealt with dragons today. I just want to sleep.'_

_Nodding Cedric crawled up the bed and pulled Harry close to him, 'OK, I can do that.'_

_Harry closed his eyes just as Cedric cuddled in closer. Feeling how rigid his lover was he said, 'You're so hard.'_

_'Of course I'm hard; I've been denied.'_

_'No,' Harry said with a huff of laughter, 'you're tense.'_

_'I guess the dragons really scared me.'_

_'You were great!' Harry protested now fully awake upon hearing of his lover's distress._

_'I wasn't frightened for me, you dolt. You looked so little out there. I wanted to drag you away, bring you back to bed, and totally ignore the contest until it's over.'_

_Confused Harry said, 'I thought you wanted to be in the Tournament.'_

_'I do but not when you're in danger. I wish you hadn't put your name in the Goblet.'_

_Sounding as tired as he felt Harry said, 'I didn't. I'm sorry that you're scared but I'm scared too. I didn't ask for this. I don't know why you don't believe me but I wouldn't sign up for this. Danger and adventure aren't fun to me. I just want us to get through it.'_

_'You just looked so little,' Cedric repeated._

_While wrapped up in Cedric's tight embrace Harry felt little. While he was only two years older than Harry the boy still thought his lover was built more like an adult than him. The legs and arms that were banned around him were so long, strong, and defined. He smiled into gray eyes feeling young, cherished, and safe he laughed, "Everyone's little compared to you.'_

_'Are you calling me fat?' he asked with a cocked eyebrow, pleased to be distracted from his thoughts._

_'Ricky,' Harry said in a singsong voice._

_'Don't call me that. Only those. . .' he trailed off trying to think of the word._

_'Groupies?' offered Harry._

_'Groupies,' he agreed, 'call me that.'_

_'I am a groupie.'_

_With a warm smile Cedric corrected, 'No, you're my guy.' He gently ran his fingers over Harry's cheek. The slighter boy moved into the caress and released a happy noise. 'Thought you were tired?'_

_'It's very hard to be tired when you touch me.'_

_'Can I touch you? You don't have to do anything. You rest: fall asleep if you like. I want to touch you and taste you. Remind myself you're alive.'_

_"How can I deny you that?" asked Harry threading one hand into Cedric's fingers and the other into his beautiful hair. He moved onto his back and said, "I want to say something but I'm afraid of what you'll think because we haven't said it."_

_Cedric was once again working his way down Harry's flank as he said, 'I'll make it easy: I love you.'_

_Deadpan Harry said, "I was going to say, 'I think we're ready to adopt a puppy' but okay.'_

_'Shush.' Cedric's tongue traveled over Harry's belly button and hips- avoiding his half awake shaft- as his free hand moved Harry's legs apart._

_'Hey you missed my...'_

_'You said I could taste you,' Cedric reminded him as he looked up._

_'Harry laid back and allowed his boyfriend to taste him, 'No one's tasted any of me!' Harry said indignantly. 'I've never even kissed anyone else. You're my sexual history.'_

_Cedric reached for the lube while he deep throated Harry._

_'Oh God, I love you.' Harry gasped., _

_The mirth in Cedric's eye shone and he said, ' We can get a puppy after I graduate. Now stop distracting me from my fun.'_

_Not wanting to distract, Harry focused on the way the moon light crept between the bed curtains and played on soft brown air. Sensation ripped over flesh like storm winds on the tundra. And too soon they were lying in a shaking, sated lump of sweat and giggles. _

_Harry said, 'That was the best ever' _

_Cedric gave a tired nod as he cast cleaning spells over them and licked some of Harry's come off his lip. He wasn't how it got there but it filled his mouth with warm comfort. _

_'Will you be able to sleep now?' He yawned and nodded with his forehead against the slighter man's shoulder._

_

* * *

_

Harry woke with a strangled cry, Pain, absolutely blinding agony ripped through his chest, fifty times worse then the Cruciatus curse.

Gritting his teeth Harry, rolled on to his slide, he was on the floor which wasn't unusual after waking up from a dream about Cedric.

'Kreacher.'

The house elf sneakily appeared without the usual popping noise house elf apperation makes.

'Master Black is wanting something.'

Harry ignored Kreachers slip up, he'd asked the elf to stop saying that in case someone heard. 'Take me to the room of requirement.'

Pain continued to pour over Harry, he was so busy cringing in pain that he hardly felt the backwards.

Opening his eyes he gave a slight nod, 'Go and get Neville and bring him to me.'

* * *

Feeling shaken to the core Severus Snape dropped into the chair behind him, he'd just viewed the pensive sitting in the middle of Albus's desk. _How is Potter alive, he shouldn't be. That's impossible._

Trying to work it all out Snape got up and left the late headmasters office and made his way down to the dungeons, that's when he bumped right into a very startled Neville Longbottom.

'I, I, I... shit'

Longbottom looked rather ruffled and disorientated. 'What, Mr Longbottom are you doing up this late.'

'Sorry... didn't know it was this late.'

Snape had enough, he was about to forget he'd even seen Longbottom and carry on to the dungeons. 'You didn't know it was THIS late!'

Without meaning to Snape slipped into Longbottom's head and viewed his most recent memories.

_Kreacher stood in front of Neville, 'Master Harry Potter needs you now, come with me.'_

_Neville unstoppered a potions bottle and drank the potion. Slowly he began to change until he looked completely different. _

_Kreacher grabbed his hand and took him to Harry._

_'Cedric, I need you.'_

Neville's eyes widened and before Snape could grab him he took off.


End file.
